''Myrcianthes fragrans'', commonly known as twinberry or Simpson's stopper, is a tree in the family of Myrtaceae, native to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, the

United States Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...

, other countries within the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America. It is a common tree in moist tropical forests of the region.

Description

''Myrcianthes fragrans'' can grow up to 6.096 m (20 ft) in length, the plant may grow as a shrub or small tree. It blooms white small flowers and green berries. The leaves are of a dark green color and give off a subtle

nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...

scent. The leaves are generally three inches in length and have an

elliptical Elliptical may mean: * having the shape of an ellipse, or more broadly, any oval shape ** in botany, having an elliptic leaf shape ** of aircraft wings, having an elliptical planform * characterised by ellipsis (the omission of words), or by conc ...

shape.

Usage

Used medically to treat

gastrointestinal The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...

problems.Eldridge, J. (1975). Bush medicine in the Exumas and long island, bahamas a field study. Economic Botany, 29(4), 307-332.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15381387 fragrans Trees of Mexico Trees of the United States